Food residues which remain in the mouth after eating are one of the main causes for the occurrence of caries. In most cases, cleaning the teeth after eating is simply omitted. In particular, the sugar present therein acts as nutrient for bacteria of the oral cavity which are responsible for the formation of caries, firstly by bacterial breakdown products (in particular organic acids, such as lactic acid, formic acid or acetic acid) and secondly by increased plaque formation.
Chewing chewing gum after eating is said to counter-act the formation of caries-promoting bacterial breakdown products. For this, in these chewing gums, what are termed sugar replacers, in particular sugar alcohols such as sorbitol, isomalt and xylitol, are used. Although the increased salivary flow prevents or at least reduces the formation of caries-causing acids, these chewing gums can improve general dental health only to a limited extent.
Tooth enamel and also the supporting tissue of bones consist predominantly of the mineral hydroxyapatite. The addition of calcium salts and/or phosphate salts to chewing gums is intended to serve for improving the remineralization of tooth enamel.
It is disadvantageous for these compositions that adding conventional ground, microcrystalline calcium salts and/or phosphate salts does not achieve sufficient remineralization of the tooth material.